Wheel-less trailer

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a load carrying attachment designed for mounting on the rear of a motor vehicle in a cantilevered fashion, supported at one point by a standard trailer hitch, preferably having ball hitch attachment and at points located underneath the vehicle preferably at opposite sides of the spring, there being a centrally pivotable load carrying platform which can be tilted to either side to permit loading and unloading of the device, there being a lateral supporting means affixed to the supporting frame and to points at opposite sides of the rear of the vehicle bumper, the opposite sides of the platform being releasably attached to the supporting means to permit tilting of the platform about the central pivot.

United States Patent 1 91 Wilson [541 WHEEL-LESS TRAILER [76] Inventor:Lynn E. Wilson, 724 Pine St., N.,

North Hudson, Wis. 54016 22 Filed: Aug. 30, 1971 211 Appl. No.: 175,972

[52] US. Cl ..214/450, 224142.07 [51] Int. Cl ..B06r 9/00 [58] Field ofSearch ..214/450, 451, 452, 453, 454;

224/4203 A, 42.03 B, 42.03 R, 42.07, 42.08,

1 51 Apr. 3, 1973 Primary Examiner-Albert J. Makay AssistantExaminer-John Mannix Attorney-Allan O. Maki {57] ABSTRACT The inventionrelates to a load carrying attachment designed for mounting on the rearof a motor vehicle in a cantilevered fashion, supported at one point bya standard trailer hitch, preferably having ball hitch attachment and atpoints located underneath the vehicle preferably at opposite sides ofthe spring, there being a centrally pivotable load carrying platformwhich can be tilted to either side to permit loading and unloading ofthe device, there being a lateral supporting means affixed to thesupporting frame and to points at opposite sides of the rear of thevehicle bumper, the opposite sides of the platform being releasablyattached to the supporting means to permit tilting of the platform aboutthe central pivot.

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SHEET 3 OF 3 LNNN E. W IL$OH INVENTOR ATTORN M EN WHEEL-LESS TRAILER VThis invention relates to a load carrying attachment for motor vehicles,more particularly to a platform adapted to be mounted in cantileveredfashion to the rear of a motor vehicle and being tiltable from side toside to permit loading and unloading of the platform.

Various means have been devised for providing load carrying attachmentsfor motor vehicles, such as automobiles. These include top carriers, butwhere a heavy object, such as a riding lawn mower, snowmobile,motorcycle or the likes, is to be transported, the most common devicehas been a trailer provided with wheels which is towed behind the motorvehicle.

Thepresent invention provides an improved load carrying attachment formotor vehicle which is in effect a wheel-less trailer adapted to bemounted on the rear of a motor vehicle. The present invention providesan economical means for increasing the load carrying capacity of a motorvehicle, particularly an automobile,

because it does not require the expensive wheels and axle required byconventional trailers. The present invention utilizes a conventionaltrailer hitch to provide one mounting point and is further provided withadjustable means to be secured to the frame elements of a great varietyof automobiles. A further advantage of the present invention is that theattachment is light which is desirable in traveling through snow, mudand similar conditions. The invention further provides a device whichcan be tilted from side to side to permit easy loading and unloading ofthe device. The preferred mode of construction of the device providesremarkable strength and durability in spite of the very light weightthereof.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readilyapparent from the accompanying description and drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view illustrating a load supporting attachment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a platform with portions cut away toillustrate the internal construction of the attachment;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view with portions cut away illustrating areleasable attaching device for securing the forward edge of theplatform to a lateral supporting means;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side view illustrating the attachment of thedevice of the present invention to a motor vehicle, portions of themotor vehicle being cut away, and

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view showing the attachment of the presentinvention mounted on the rear of a motor vehicle and showing by means ofpartial dotted line views the tilting of the platform from side to sidefor purposes of loading an unloading thereof.

Referring more particularly to the drawings and FIG. 1, is shown aplatform 10, having a load carrying surface constructed of plywood,sheetmetal, or the like, tail lights 12 are provided for safetypurposes, a centrally located supporting arm means 14, which may beformed from square cross-sectioned steel tubing, is positioned beneaththe platform, and the platform is pivotably secured thereto, forexample, by means of a tubular member 16, rigidly attached to theplatform and extending into the hollow center of supporting arm 14.

Secured to the central supporting arm is means 18 devised to attach theforward edge of the platform to a trailer hitch mounted on the rear ofthe motor vehicle. This is preferably adapted for mounting on a ballhitch, but optionally a fastening device of the pin type could be used.Also interconnected with the central supporting arm and the trailerhitch attachment device are lateral supporting means 20. At oppositeends of lateral supporting means 20 are located fasteners 22 and 24,which may be clips, as illustrated, attached by means of chains tolateral supporting means 20. Fasteners 22 and 24 are adapted to beattached to opposite ends of a vehicle bumper. When attached, fasteners22 and 24 hold the lateral supporting means 20 in a horizontal position.

The lateral supporting means 20 releasably supports the opposite sidesof platform 10 by means of releasable clamps 26 and 28. In the positionshown in the drawings, the clips 26 and 28 support the platform. Theclips are prevented from turning by means of pins 30 and 32 which arepositioned in holes drilled through the handle portion of clips 26 and28 and into the member 20. Platform 10 can be tilted to the left byremoving pin 30 and rotating clip 26 to permit the platform to drop. Theload can then be driven up onto the 7 platform which is then tilted backto a level position and clip 26 is again placed in the position shown inFIGS. 1 and 2. To unload the platform clip 28 is disengaged to permitthe platform to tilt to the right as shown in FIG. 5.

In the preferred means for securing the forward portion to theunderframe of a motor vehicle, a crossarm, 34 is interconnected orsecured to the forward end of supporting arm 14. Means 36 and 38 areslidably positioned in the lateral means 34 for attachment of the deviceto an automobile frame. Means 36 and 38 can be extended laterally to thenecessary extent to engage the frame elements of a wide variety of motorvehicles. Thumbscrews 40 and 42 or various other conventional attachingmeans may be used to secure the front of the device to the motor vehicleunderbody. Preferably the means for attaching the device to the vehicleunderbody is bifurcated as shown so that maximum stability of the unitis achieved.

The attachment of the invention can easily be attached to the rear of amotor vehicle simply by placing articles may be transported by means ofthe attachment of this invention. Where the article being hauled haswheels it will be apparent that such article can easily be drawn on andoff from the platform.

An optional method of permitting tilting of the platform is to constructthe device so that supporting means 26 and 28 are stationary but theplatform 10 is slidable to the rear to permit disengagement from thesupporting devices. This may be accomplished, for example, by havingmeans 16 threaded into a mating threaded device secured to element 14. Acrank can then be provided to permit moving of the platform backward orforward. In such an embodiment when the platform is entirely forward itis held by means 26 and 28 and cannot tilt, whereas when it is movedbackward it is free to tilt to either side.

While various illustrative embodiments of the invention have been shownin the drawings and described in detail herein, the invention issusceptible of embodiment in different forms. It is to be understoodthat the present exposure is an explification of the principles of theinvention and is not intended to limit the invention to the particularembodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed outin the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A load carrying attachment adapted to be mounted on the rear of amotor vehicle comprising A. a load carrying platform pivotably supportedby B. a centrally located supporting arm means extending from front toback of said platform upon which said platform can pivot,

C. fastening means connected to said supporting arm means adapted to beattached to a trailer hitch mounted on the rear of said motor vehicle D.lateral supporting means connected to said fastening means andpositioned forwardly of said platform E. releasable means located onboth sides of fastening means (0) for securing the edges of saidplatform to said lateral supporting means F. means for attaching theopposite ends of said lateral supporting means to the rear of said motorvehicle G. mean connected to said means (c) and (d) extending forwardlyof said platform and adapted to be attached to the underbody of saidmotor vehicle 2. A load carrying attachment according to claim 1 whereinthe releasable means (e) are positive locking clamps which engage theforward edge of said platform.

3. A load carrying attachment according to claim I wherein thereleasable means (e) are pins which engage apertures in the forward edgeof said platform, said platform being slidable rearward off of said pinsand forward onto said pins, and being provided with means to cause saidplatform to slide rearward and forward.

4. A load carrying attachment according to claim 1 wherein fasteningmeans (c) is a ball engaging hitch.

5. A load carrying attachment according to claim 1 wherein means (g) isbifurcated and adapted to engage the frame on opposite sides of saidmotor vehicle.

1. A load carrying attachment adapted to be mounted on the rear of amotor vehicle comprising A. a load carrying platform pivotably supportedby B. a centrally located supporting arm means extending from front toback of said platform upon which said platform can pivot, C. fasteningmeans connected to said supporting arm means adapted to be attached to atrailer hitch mounted on the rear of said motor vehicle D. lateralsupporting means connected to said fastening means and positionedforwardly of said platform E. releasable means located on both sides offastening means (c) for securing the edges of said platform to saidlateral supporting means F. means for attaching the opposite ends ofsaid lateral supporting means to the rear of said motor vehicle G. meanconnected to said means (c) and (d) extending forwardly of said platformand adapted to be attached to the underbody of said motor vehicle
 2. Aload carrying attachment according to claim 1 wherein the releasablemeans (e) are positive locking clamps which engage the forward edge ofsaid platform.
 3. A load carrying attachment according to claim 1wherein the releasable means (e) are pins which engage apertures in theforward edge of said platform, said platform being slidable rearward offof said pins and forward onto said pins, and being provided with meansto cause said platform to slide rearward and forward.
 4. A load carryingattachment according to claim 1 wherein fastening means (c) is a ballengaging hitch.
 5. A load carrying attachment according to claim 1wherein means (g) is bifurcated and adapted to engage the frame onopposite sides of said motor vehicle.